Northern holidaymakers are losing their direct link to Nevada. The Virgin Atlantic Manchester Las Vegas route will not return in 2027. Instead, the airline is putting that capacity into extra summer flights to New York, Orlando and Atlanta.
The changes are part of Virgin Atlantic’s plans for its busiest summer yet at Manchester Airport, 30 years after it first started flying from the city. If you have a Vegas booking or a US holiday in mind for next year, here is what you need to know.
What has changed at Manchester
According to Head for Points, the Las Vegas service has been permanently cancelled. The news follows a muddled few weeks.
A detailed bulletin listing the changes briefly appeared on Virgin Atlantic’s travel trade website before being taken down. The airline said at the time that the memo was wrong, and Las Vegas flights stayed on sale.
Virgin Atlantic has since confirmed the cancellation after all. The extra flights it has added are the same ones listed in the original bulletin.
Where the extra flights are going
From June to August 2027, Virgin Atlantic will base a fifth aircraft at Manchester. It is an Airbus A330-900 with 262 seats in Economy, Premium and Upper Class. These are the routes gaining capacity next summer:
- New York JFK: up from daily to 10 flights a week from April to October 2027. The extra departures are on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
- Orlando: up to 19 flights a week in July and August 2027, in time for the school holidays.
- Atlanta: up from daily to 11 flights a week from 5 June until mid-July, with extra services on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. A larger A350 will fly the route all summer.
- Montego Bay: up from four flights a week to five or six during summer 2027.
Some routes are being trimmed
The new flights need more aircraft than the Las Vegas cancellation frees up, so two routes will see fewer departures. San Francisco and Mumbai both drop from 14 to 10 or 11 flights a week for summer 2027.
On days with just one departure, a larger A350 will fly, which softens the loss of seats.
Booked a Virgin Atlantic Manchester Las Vegas flight? What to do
There is no need to cancel any hotel or car hire yet. Start by checking your booking and contacting Virgin Atlantic. If your flights are part of a package, contact the travel company you booked with instead.
Ask what alternatives are on offer. The main options for reaching Las Vegas are:
- Virgin Atlantic’s daily direct flight from London Heathrow.
- A connection in New York or Atlanta, flying onwards with partner Delta Air Lines.
If none of these suits your plans, ask about a refund. Keep your contact details up to date on your booking so you don’t miss any messages about your trip.
How to still reach Las Vegas and the US West from the North
The Strip is still within reach. New York and Atlanta are both getting more Manchester flights, so you will have more departure days to choose from if you want to connect onwards with Delta.
Atlanta is a good choice for onward travel. Through the Virgin Atlantic and Delta joint venture, it opens up Delta’s large network across North America.
For a bigger trip, think about a twin-centre or fly-drive. New York and Las Vegas pair well, with the excitement of Manhattan followed by the desert neon. San Francisco still has direct flights from Manchester, though fewer of them, so a California road trip that ends in Nevada is another option.
Why the Las Vegas route has gone
Virgin Atlantic was in no hurry to restart the route after the pandemic. Flights only resumed in 2024.
Very long routes are under pressure as jet fuel costs rise. Corporate traffic to Las Vegas is also modest, which makes the numbers harder to balance.
Meanwhile, Aer Lingus is dropping its direct New York and Orlando flights from Manchester. That leaves room for Virgin Atlantic to carry more passengers on those routes.
Why it matters for UK travellers
Manchester is Virgin Atlantic’s northern UK hub, and the airline is clearly committed to it. Losing a direct route is disappointing, but next summer brings more seats and more departure days on several popular US routes.
Families planning Florida in the school holidays will have up to 19 weekly Orlando flights to choose from. City-breakers get three extra New York departures a week from April to October. Fans of the Caribbean get more flights to Jamaica.
More flights usually mean more choice of dates. That makes it easier to fit a long-haul trip around work, school terms and family plans.
Planning a trip?
If America is on your 2027 wish list, browse our USA holidays for Florida, New York and road-trip ideas. If you still want to see Las Vegas, our New York and Las Vegas twin-centre combines two great cities in one trip. For the West Coast, our San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles trip is another way to see the Strip.
FAQs
Is Virgin Atlantic still flying from Manchester to Las Vegas?
No. Virgin Atlantic has dropped its seasonal Manchester to Las Vegas route, and it will not run in summer 2027. Reports say the cancellation is permanent. The airline only restarted the route in 2024 after the pandemic and is moving the capacity to other Manchester routes, including New York, Orlando and Atlanta.
How can I get to Las Vegas from Manchester now?
You can connect in New York or Atlanta and fly onwards with Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic’s joint venture partner. Both routes are getting extra Manchester flights in 2027. You could also travel to London Heathrow and take Virgin Atlantic’s daily direct flight to Las Vegas.
Which Virgin Atlantic routes from Manchester are getting more flights in 2027?
New York JFK rises from daily to 10 flights a week from April to October. Orlando gets up to 19 weekly flights in July and August. Atlanta goes up to 11 a week from early June to mid-July, and Montego Bay rises to five or six a week.
